Rifle and petrol bottle found on Vracar, two arrested

Belgrade police on May 30, 2026 found a bag containing an assault rifle and 30 rounds of ammunition in bushes on Vracar, along with a glass bottle filled with petrol. Two men, M.B. (27) and A.S. (24), were arrested over the find and face charges of unlawful possession of weapons and explosive materials.

The operation was carried out by officers of the Criminal Police Directorate, acting on the order of the Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor. According to the investigation, the petrol bottle had been prepared for use in a criminal act.

What was found in the suspects’ flats

The arrests were followed by searches of both men’s flats, where officers found additional rounds and a frame for an assault rifle. Together with the weapon recovered from the bushes, these items are now being examined as part of the pre-trial procedure.

The suspects are being held for up to 48 hours. Once that period expires, they will be brought before the duty prosecutor along with a criminal complaint, and the prosecutor will decide how the case proceeds.

What happens next in the investigation?

The Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor is leading the case and has yet to establish whether the weapon was intended for a specific attack. Until a final court ruling, M.B. and A.S. are presumed innocent, and the charges may change depending on the results of forensic examination.

The discovery of a prepared petrol bottle raises the question of whether this is an isolated case or part of a wider string of attacks on premises in the capital.

What do you think: how much do police operations like this affect the sense of safety in the city?